3 weeks ago
Air India Pilot Licence At Risk After Marijuana Dope Test
A pilot is the person who flies an airplane.
One pilot was flying a plane from Phuket in Thailand to Delhi in India.
During the flight, the plane suddenly dropped about 300 feet because of very bumpy weather.
People who were not wearing seatbelts got hurt.
The other pilot had to take control and land the plane safely.
Reports say the first pilot was acting strangely, sitting on the floor of the cockpit and trying to smoke.
After landing, a test showed a drug called marijuana in his body.
Marijuana is not allowed for pilots because they must always stay alert and safe.
Because of this, the pilot is not allowed to fly while doctors check him and help him get better.
If he is caught using the drug again, he could lose his flying licence for a very long time.
The pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi reportedly tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory dope test.
The Airbus A320neo lost around 300 feet of altitude during severe turbulence over Odisha, injuring 24 passengers and crew members.
Passengers and a Times of India report allege the pilot appeared under the influence — sitting on the flight deck floor, trying to smoke and needing cabin crew help to return to his seat.
The co-pilot responded with a stall-recovery manoeuvre and landed the aircraft safely, while cabin crew filed a complaint with Air India about the pilot's behaviour.
Under DGCA rules, a first confirmed positive triggers grounding, rehabilitation and medical clearance; a second violation brings a three-year suspension and a third can lead to licence cancellation.
- Who
- The pilot-in-command of Air India flight AI2379, who reportedly tested positive for marijuana; the co-pilot who steadied and landed the aircraft; the 137 passengers and eight crew members on board; and Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and outgoing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, who was summoned over the incident.
- What
- The Phuket-Delhi flight lost around 300 feet of altitude during severe turbulence, and the pilot-in-command reportedly tested positive for marijuana, triggering a DGCA regulatory process and an AAIB investigation into his fitness to fly.
- Where
- Onboard flight AI2379 flying from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India; the aircraft lost altitude over Odisha, and the investigation is led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
- When
- The incident occurred on August 4, 2026, with the confirmatory test result and reports published around August 12, 2026.
- Why
- The pilot reportedly appeared to be under the influence of psychoactive substances while operating the flight, raising serious concerns about aviation safety.
Zero tolerance and strict action
Rehabilitation and due process
Penalty for the pilot
Zero tolerance and strict action
Federation of Indian Pilots president Captain CS Randhawa says the pilot should be debarred for life, arguing he 'cannot be playing with people's lives'.
Rehabilitation and due process
Under DGCA rules a first confirmed positive leads to rehabilitation and medical clearance rather than automatic licence cancellation; licence loss only follows second or third violations.
Evidence of impairment in the cockpit
Zero tolerance and strict action
Passenger and cabin crew accounts — red eyes, sitting on the flight deck floor, trying to smoke, difficulty walking — suggest the pilot was visibly impaired during the flight.
Rehabilitation and due process
Investigators stress these allegations are not established findings; a positive drug test alone does not prove the pilot was impaired at the time of the incident, and the cabin crew complaint has not been publicly confirmed by Air India.
Key facts
- Flight number
- AI2379
- Route
- Phuket to Delhi
- Aircraft
- Airbus A320neo
- Altitude lost
- Around 300 feet
- On board
- 137 passengers and 8 crew members
- Injured
- 24 passengers and crew members
- Confirmatory test result
- Positive for marijuana
- Investigators
- AAIB, assisted by Airbus and France's BEA
Quotes
Captain CS Randhawa
President of the Federation of Indian Pilots
“The pilot needs to be debarred for life. He cannot be playing with people’s lives. This is all the more reason why we need a Civil Aviation Authority instead of the DGCA so that there is much better oversight.”
firstpost.com
“Mandar Bhatt has said that a first confirmed positive does not automatically cancel a pilot’s licence.”
news18.com
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu
Minister of Civil Aviation, India
“If the pilot is found to have indulged in any substance abuse, it would be treated very seriously. If there needs to be any tweaking of the existing legislation, we will do that also.”
firstpost.com
Sources
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